How to Get .VSSETTINGS Files Back After a Malfunctioning File System

Have files been deleted due to a user’s error or software error? Have you formatted a disk by accident and need to know how to recover the files? Read our .VSSETTINGS file recovery guide for Windows, MacOS, Android and IOS in 2024.

How to Get .VSSETTINGS Files Back After a Malfunctioning File System

What is a .VSSETTINGS file?

Settings file created by Visual Studio, a software development tool used to build Windows programs and other software; contains configuration information for the Visual Studio IDE, including settings for the editor, projects, debugging, fonts, colors, window layouts, and other display preferences.

What Are Common Causes of ".VSSETTINGS" Files Lost or Failure?

There are several common causes of ".VSSETTINGS" files being lost or experiencing failure:

  1. Accidental deletion: Users may accidentally delete the ".VSSETTINGS" files while organizing or cleaning up their system.
  2. Software or system crashes: If there is a sudden software or system crash while working with Visual Studio, it can lead to the loss or corruption of ".VSSETTINGS" files.
  3. File system errors: Issues with the file system, such as disk errors or file system corruption, can result in the loss or damage of ".VSSETTINGS" files.
  4. Virus or malware infections: Malicious software can infect and damage files on a computer, including ".VSSETTINGS" files.
  5. Software updates or upgrades: Sometimes, when updating or upgrading Visual Studio or related software, the ".VSSETTINGS" files may not be properly migrated or transferred, leading to their loss or failure.
  6. Improper shutdown: If the computer is not shut down properly or experiences a power outage while Visual Studio is running, it can cause ".VSSETTINGS" files to become corrupted or lost.
  7. Hardware failures: Hardware failures, such as a hard drive crash or failure, can result in the loss of ".VSSETTINGS" files stored on the affected drive.
  8. User error: Users may accidentally overwrite or modify the ".VSSETTINGS" files with incorrect configurations, leading to their failure or loss.

To prevent the loss or failure of ".VSSETTINGS" files, it is recommended to regularly back up important files, including these settings files, and to use reliable antivirus software to protect against malware infections.

How to recover lost ".VSSETTINGS" files?

Sometimes while working with a computer, laptop or other stationary or mobile devices, you may encounter various bugs, freezes, hardware or software failures, even in spite of regular updates and junk cleaning. As a result, an important ".VSSETTINGS" file may be deleted.

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🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

By no means should you think that the only way to recover a ".VSSETTINGS" file is always to create it once more.

Use programs for recovering ".VSSETTINGS" files if a file was lost after accidental or deliberate deleting, formatting the memory card or the internal storage, cleaning the storage device, after a virus attack or a system failure.

Programs to recover ".VSSETTINGS" files

Looking for a way to get files back? In cases when files were deleted and they cannot be restored by using standard operating system tools, use Hetman Partition Recovery.

Partition Recovery™ 4.9
The tool recovers data from any devices, regardless of the cause of data loss.
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Follow the directions below:

  1. Download Hetman Partition Recovery, install and start the program.

  2. The program will automatically scan the computer and display all hard disks and removable drives connected to it, as well as physical and local disks.

    File Recovery Software
  3. Double-click on the disk from which you need to recover ".VSSETTINGS" files, and select analysis type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Analysis Type
  4. When the scanning is over, you will be shown the files for recovery.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Files that Can be Restored
  5. To find a file you need, use the program’s interface to open the folder it was deleted from, or go to the folder "Content-Aware Analysis" and select the required file type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Deep Scan
  6. Select the files you have been looking for and click "Recovery".

    File Recovery Software - Files List for Recovery
  7. Choose one of the methods for saving the files and recover them.

    Saving recovered files in Hetman Partition Recovery

How to open file with ".VSSETTINGS" extension?

Looking for how to open a stereo visual Studio Settings File image file file?

Programs that open ".VSSETTINGS" files

Windows
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 Microsoft Visual Studio 2019

Additional Information

  • File type: Visual Studio Settings File

  • File extension: .VSSETTINGS

  • Developer: Microsoft

  • Category: Settings Files

  • Format: XML

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  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 18.12.2019 13:20 #
    Leave a comment if you have any questions about Recovering lost .VSSETTINGS files after deleting, cleaning or formatting!
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Vladimir Artiukh

Author: Vladimir Artiukh, Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: Oleg Afonin, Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • What is the purpose of a .VSSETTINGS file and how does it relate to Visual Studio?

    A .vssettings file is a configuration file used by Visual Studio, a popular integrated development environment (IDE) by Microsoft. It contains settings and preferences that can be imported/exported to easily share or transfer settings between different instances of Visual Studio.

    The purpose of a .vssettings file is to provide a convenient way to save and share customized settings, such as editor preferences, window layouts, color schemes, debugging options, and more. It allows developers to personalize their development environment and easily replicate those settings across different machines or share them with colleagues.

    By exporting settings to a .vssettings file, developers can easily import them into another instance of Visual Studio, ensuring consistent settings and preferences across different environments. This is particularly useful in team settings where developers may have different preferences but need to work with a consistent setup.

    Overall, .vssettings files provide a way to manage and share Visual Studio settings, making it easier for developers to customize their IDE and maintain a consistent development experience.

  • How can I locate and open a .VSSETTINGS file in Visual Studio?

    To locate and open a .vssettings file in Visual Studio, you can follow these steps:

    1. Launch Visual Studio.
    2. Go to the "Tools" menu at the top.
    3. From the drop-down list, select "Import and Export Settings".
    4. In the "Import and Export Settings Wizard" window, choose the "Import selected environment settings" option.
    5. Click the "Next" button.
    6. Select the option "No, just import new settings, overwriting my current settings" and click "Next".
    7. In the next window, choose the "Browse" button to locate the .vssettings file.
    8. Navigate to the folder where your .vssettings file is located and select it.
    9. Click the "Open" button.
    10. Back in the "Import and Export Settings Wizard" window, click the "Finish" button to import the settings.

    After following these steps, Visual Studio will apply the settings defined in the .vssettings file, modifying the environment according to the specified configurations.

  • Can you explain the structure and content of a .VSSETTINGS file, and how it affects the configuration of a Visual Studio project?

    A .VSSETTINGS file is an XML-based file that contains configuration settings for a Visual Studio project. It is used to store and share project settings across different instances of Visual Studio.

    The structure of a .VSSETTINGS file consists of various elements and attributes that define the configuration options. Here is an overview of the key elements and their content:

    ``: The root element that contains all the user-specific settings.

    • ``: Contains information about the Visual Studio version and the project type.
    • ``: Contains the configuration settings for various Visual Studio tools.

    - ``: Represents a specific category of settings, such as "Text Editor" or "Debugging".

    - ``: Represents a subcategory within a category.

    - ``: Contains the actual configuration values for a specific setting.

    - `Name`: Specifies the name of the setting.

    - `Value`: Specifies the value of the setting.

    The content of a .VSSETTINGS file includes a wide range of configuration options, such as editor preferences, debugging settings, project properties, and more. These settings can be specific to a particular category or subcategory within Visual Studio.

    When a .VSSETTINGS file is applied to a Visual Studio project, it overrides the default settings and applies the specified configuration. This allows developers to easily share project settings with team members or across different development environments.

    To apply a .VSSETTINGS file to a project, you can use the "Import and Export Settings" feature in Visual Studio. This feature allows you to import a .VSSETTINGS file and apply the settings to your current project or export the current settings to a .VSSETTINGS file for sharing.

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